Dr. Howard J. Federoff, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of California, Irvine, has been named CEO of the UCI Health system. His appointment, made by Chancellor Howard Gillman, was approved today by the University of California Board of Regents.

As head of UC Irvine’s health system, Federoff is responsible for the administration of various clinical locations — including UC Irvine Medical Center and the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center in Orange, UCI Health-Newport, and numerous primary and specialty care outpatient centers — and for guiding the growth of UC Irvine’s regional clinics and partnerships.

“It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I announce this appointment,” Gillman said. “Dr. Federoff has done an extraordinary job providing strategic guidance on our clinical operations as interim CEO of Orange County’s only elite academic medical center. By combining this responsibility with his role as vice chancellor in overseeing our schools and programs in medicine, nursing, public health and pharmaceutical sciences, we will ensure a vital alignment between our clinical expansion and the expansion of our academic and research missions in health.”

National CEO search

Federoff was recruited to the campus last year to ensure that UC Irvine’s health-related education and research lined up with the clinical aspirations of UCI Health by serving as both vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. During a national search for a new CEO, campus leadership became convinced that such an alignment would best be accomplished by making use of Federoff’s strengths in the CEO role. His official title is be vice chancellor for health affairs and CEO of the UCI Health system.

“It’s gratifying to do a national search and find the best candidate for such an important position within our own university,” said Leslie Thompson, a professor of neurobiology & behavior and psychiatry & human behavior who chaired the CEO search committee. “Dr. Federoff is an ideal fit.”

Board-certified in internal medicine, endocrinology and metabolism and nationally renowned for his clinical and research work in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, Federoff said he looks forward to new challenges and collaborating with esteemed colleagues.

Federoff joined UC Irvine in July 2015. He previously was executive vice president for health sciences and executive dean of the medical school at Georgetown University. In his short time at UC Irvine, Federoff has made significant progress in advancing UCI Health both locally and in collaboration with UC Health.

An interim dean for the School of Medicine will be named and a national search launched for a permanent dean.

About UCI Health: UCI Health comprises the clinical, medical education and research enterprises of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at physician offices throughout Orange County and at its main campus, UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, California, a 411-bed acute care hospital that provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. U.S. News & World Report has listed it among America’s Best Hospitals for 15 consecutive years. UC Irvine Medical Center is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, Level I trauma center and Level II pediatric trauma center, and it’s the primary teaching hospital for the UC Irvine School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of more than 3 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the University of California, Irvine: Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, UC Irvine is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, the university has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $4.8 billion annually to the local economy. For more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.